How I Was Bathed With Acid That Was Meant For My Brother -Obanye Francess

At the age of nine, Obanye Francess survived a brutal acid attack that was reportedly intended for her brother—an incident that profoundly changed the trajectory of her life. In an interview with The Punch, she reflected on her painful experience, her journey through recovery, and the resilience she has had to summon while living with facial deformity.

Narrating how she was attacked, Obanye Francess explained that she still remembers the incident clearly, even though she was only nine years old at the time. She said it happened on November 17, 2004, during a period of intense family conflict within their compound, where disagreements between her father and his brothers and their families were frequent.

According to her, the tensions had escalated to the point where threats were made against her parents, although they did not take them as seriously as they should have. She added that her father was working in Enugu at the time and was often away, leaving her mother, siblings, and herself at home.

She recalled that the night before the attack, she was asked to sleep in her grandmother’s room instead of her mother’s. “My mother woke up early that morning as usual to prepare for the day,” she said.

Francess further explained that the kitchen and bathroom were located outside the main building and connected through a corridor. While her mother briefly stepped out, she said her uncle’s wife—who had been involved in the ongoing family dispute—came into the house carrying a bucket of acid.

“She said her target was my brother, the only son, but she later claimed she mistook me for him,” Francess recounted. She added that she had been dressed in a way that made her resemble her brother, which led to the confusion.

She narrated that the woman entered the room where she was sleeping with her grandmother and poured acid on both of them. According to her, her grandmother sustained injuries at the back of her head, but she bore the most severe impact.

“When I started screaming, my mother rushed towards the room,” she said, adding that the attacker reportedly locked the door after carrying out the act before fleeing the scene…..See More